Kate's Blog

My sister Belinda Murrell has written a wonderful historical children's book THE RIVER CHARM set in colonial Australia that is already being compared to Seven Little Australians and other great classics of Australian children's fiction.

I've asked her to name her own five favourite Australian children's books. This is what Belinda had to say:

There are so many fantastic Australian children’s books, so it is very hard to choose.

Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner. One of my all time favourite books!

Snugglepot and Cuddlepie by May Gibbs. I loved this as a young child.

Are We There Yet? by Alison Lester. We travelled all around Australia for 18 months and took this book with us the whole way as an inspiration.

A Mother’s Offering to Her Children – the first children’s book published in Australia back in 1841, and written by our great-great-great-great grandmother Charlotte Waring Atkinson.

The Silver Brumby by Elyne Mitchell. This was definitely one of my favourites as a child.

Belinda Murrell is an internationally published, bestselling children’s author. Her 16 books include The Sun Sword Trilogy, a fantasy-adventure series for boys and girls aged 8 to 12. Her time-slip books - The Locket of Dreams, The Ruby Talisman, The Forgotten Pearl, and The Ivory Rose – have been shortlisted for various awards, including KOALAs (2013, 2012 and 2011), CBCA Notable List and highly commended in the PM’s Literary Awards. Her new book, The River Charm, is based on the thrilling adventures of her ancestors. For younger readers (aged 6 to 9) Belinda has a new Lulu Bell series, about friends, family, animals and adventures growing up in a vet hospital.